Quote:
Originally Posted by mrnoble
I'd be willing to spend $50 on a significant tactical advantage like that if its within the budget. How is that lawyering?
|
The rule says "pool noodles" (and again in other spots without the quotes). You're getting a tactical advantage by buying something that isn't pool noodles but can be used as pool noodles.
Emphasis on "tactical advantage".
If y'all don't mind me sayin', them words should not come into play with respect to a closely-defined bumper construction element. Cloth, sure, because the requirement is that the cloth be rugged and smooth, but no other requirements are placed. But when the term is "pool noodles", then you should be using pool noodles. Not ordering stuff that gives some tactical advantage over pool noodles.
You know WHY bumpers are standardized these days? Back in the bad ol' days, before the standard bumpers were introduced, teams could build bumpers and put them on their robot, provided that they fit in size and weight, and you wouldn't hurt your hand by punching them. Some teams are rumored to have built a system into those bumpers that would transfer their opponents' weight to THEM, by lifting. The next year or so, the standard bumpers came out and had a prescribed construction.
__________________
Past teams:
2003-2007: FRC0330 BeachBots
2008: FRC1135 Shmoebotics
2012: FRC4046 Schroedinger's Dragons
"Rockets are tricky..."--Elon Musk
